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[img]https://i.imgur.com/snCc5Ti.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210429/02c9082f134b30f6da7e974003c4f396.png[/img]

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[b]A [@LovelyComplex] & [@Venus] Collab[/b]
[b]Featuring: [color=005d9e]Danilo Belmonte[/color] & [color=EA60A5]Tiffannie Taccone[/color][/b][/center]
[indent][color=silver]Watching his mother grapple for the happiness she once felt before, trying to find her path and peace, Danny found himself taking deep breaths in the bathroom, building up the courage to do his routine visit. He knew how scared she was. How terrified of the idea of her breast cancer getting out to the public because she truly didn’t want her battle to be twisted. If anything, she wanted people to see the real and authentic her, that they’ve seen at her restaurant. The one and only Silvia Belmonte, from the Big Apple, who served the best homemade pizza in the whole goddamn neighborhood. Not the dying woman she was now. 

In Edenridge, unless you had cruel intentions, you do not control the narrative. She wasn’t blind to the world around her and how most of her life her husband was involved with something that could’ve gotten her and her kids killed. Even if you can be saved, you’re innately drawn to sin. 

Silvia knew a sinner when she saw one. That’s why she wanted to help them. Each person deserves the chance to be saved. However, she wasn’t naive nor was she short-sighted. She knew some people were beyond redemption, as sad as that sounds. They couldn’t be saved because that defining moment was long gone.  

In chaos theory, there is this thing called the butterfly effect and it is the idea that a small change can make much bigger changes happen. One small incident can have a big impact on the future. Would her death help her family or break them? Silvia truly believed that there were moments in people’s lives that could change everything, and that perhaps, we do live another timeline, in a parallel universe. 

Prior to her cancer escalating, her husband thought she watched too much TV. Cinema gave her all these fantastical ideas of time travel, time loops, and alternate timelines. This year, Taz latches onto those notions in fear of losing his wife, forever. If she could continue to lift up such a shattered community, she would. Sadly, she knew she was weak. Each and every day she could feel her body, her mind, and her soul become a little more powerless.

Silvia was tired.

Approaching the door, Danny all [url=https://imgur.com/PsPG4oY]dressed[/url] up for his night with his ex, and their peers, for an event he can only assume would be emotionally charged, the future man-of-the-house stopped in his tracks. He stared at the door and swallowed deeply. [i]Don’t cry.[/i] After knocking on it, he could hear a faint, yet serene voice beckoning for him to come in. Nodding to himself, he reached for the doorknob. Once he entered, Danny closed the door behind him.  

No one in the Belmonte family was ready to accept losing their rock. It was so much easier to act like the pain didn’t exist. It was so easy to push all the dark bullshit on the back burner and act like nothing has changed. That you were in control and your life wasn’t so incredibly unpredictable.  It wasn’t just Danny refusing to acknowledge that something was wrong. No. Everyone in his family was extremely vulnerable right now, but when they left those front doors, they brought their sense of control back, even if it was clearly fleeting. 

There was no way in hell they’d break. There was no way in hell they’d have the community worry about them. How could you seek security when you’re so used to being security for everyone else? If only they could let their mind escape. Go to a tropical paradise and forget all this pain that filled their hearts, but Danny knew, he just knew, the only way to get better was to face this beast mano-a-mano. No matter how terrified he was himself. He, his sisters, and his father could no longer bury the despair and with their mother constantly begging for morphine, not wanting to feel the hurt anymore, and the letters, these stupid fucking letters, they can’t forget. Life doesn’t want them to. 

After thirty minutes, Danny quietly exited his parents’ bedroom. Instead of despair, he wore a face of apathy. When he felt triggered, and the loving bond he desperately needed, a tender kind of love, was nowhere in reach, he decided to survive. Cool and indifferent. Consistent in his morality. Consistent in his way of living. Consistent in being strong, because he had no other choice. After making his way downstairs, he followed a sing-song voice, in hopes that could help lift his spirits before being in a car, alone, with his ex. 

The voice led him to the home's ample kitchen, where a blonde girl in bright pink hot-pants and a black T-shirt one size too small was mumbling a song under her breath and dancing in front of the stainless steel refrigerator while opening the lid of her favorite ice cream pint. His cousin Tiffannie was the type to be in good spirits the majority of the time, but today she seemed to be a little more chipper than usual. She placed the lid on the granite countertop, grabbed a spoon from a nearby drawer and took a few bites of the chocolatey concoction, never once pausing her singing and matching choreography. It was only after she stumbled mid-twirl that her eyes fell on Danny, and she jumped and yelped a little in surprise.

[color=EA60A5]"[i]Daaaaannyyyyyyy[/i]!"[/color] she whined, her cheeks flushing lightly. [color=EA60A5]"Why do have to be such a creep, standing in the corner all silent like that? You scared me!"[/color] she told the man, pouting and taking another bite out of her ice cream pint.

Raising an eyebrow at the vibrant blonde he was blessed to call his cousin, Danny crossed his arms and leaned up against the rim of the kitchen archway. Disregarding the stalker comment because he wasn’t one and even if there was part of him that [i]did[/i] investigate [i]some[/i] things he would never admit that to her, Danny smiled, [color=005d9e]“I heard a pretty song. It led me to an overly happy Lil’ Peach. What’s got you in such a good mood, anyways?”[/color] 

A mischievous smile spread across Tiffannie's face. [color=EA60A5]"Oh, you know! [i]Life[/i]. It's wonderful, isn't it?"[/color] she answered in a singsong voice, giving another little shimmy before taking another bite of her ice cream. It was then when his appearance downed on her, and her perfectly arched brows furrowed together. [color=EA60A5]"Are you going out tonight?"[/color] she asked him, her tone growing suspicious. [color=EA60A5]"You better not be going off to a party without me!"[/color]

[color=005d9e]“You know I wouldn't.”[/color] Danny was quick to protest. Was it so wrong of him to [i]not[/i] wear active wear and look good in front of his class? Yeah, he even put the good cologne on because it’s been a minute since most of them were under the same roof, assuming they would all attend tonight. [color=005d9e]“I’m picking up an old friend and we’re going down memory lane.”[/color] Okay, that sounded weird and misleading, and it fuelled the fantasies of the overly-imaginative cousin currently wiggling her eyebrows at him.

Clearing his throat, he left the archway and stood beside the island. Nervously releasing a cough, he breathed, [color=005d9e]“The letters, Tiff. I guess someone has some answers? So yeah, I’m going. I [i]think[/i] I need to? I don’t know. Do I look okay?”[/color] 

The girl nodded enthusiastically. [color=EA60A5]"Mhm! You look [i]amazing[/i],"[/color] she sweetly complimented her cousin, skipping over to him to wrap him up in a quick hug, trying to not get any ice cream on his polished clothes in the process. [color=EA60A5]"You smell good, too,"[/color] she noted in approval, deeply inhaling his spicy cologne. Tiffannie had the nose of a bloodhound, so it was easy for her to pick up on the fact that Danny had upped the ante for the night by using his expensive cologne. Whoever this girl was, she was really lucky. Her cousin was clearly planning on getting laid tonight.  

[color=EA60A5]"Who's the lucky girl?"[/color] she asked curiously, digging into her frozen dessert pint again.

Tiffanie had this nature about her that caused Danny to lose his train of thought faster than she made any men get hard. Without even thinking, he started saying his ex’s name, [color=005d9e]“Mar—”[/color] but when he realized what he was doing, he finished his answer with a lie, [color=005d9e]“—cela.”[/color] [i]Fuck[/i]. Uncontrollably blushing now, Danny decided he needed to back away and leave the premise [i]immediately[/i].  [color=005d9e]“So yeah, thanks for the compliments, they’re great, you’re great. I’ll… I’ll see you later! Bye!”[/color] 

[color=EA60A5]"Nuh-uh!"[/color] Tiffannie cried out, slamming her ice cream pint on the countertop and racing after Danny, her bare feet barely making any noise against the cool hardwood floors.

Thanks to the girl's long legs and her quick instincts, Baby Peach caught up with Danny before he could reach the door to the garage. And before he could stop it, Tiff was wrapping her pink-manicured hand around his arm in a surprisingly strong, vice-like grip and turning him around.

[color=EA60A5]"You don't get to lie to my face and think you can get away with it!"[/color] she argued, the pout back in her lips now. [color=EA60A5]"Marcy's been over here to hang out with Mira [i]thousands[/i] of times, and you guys have never said anything to each other beyond the blandest of 'hey's. You really expect me to believe you're dressed like [i]that[/i] and smell like [i]that[/i] to go out with [i][b]Marcy[/b][/i]? I call bullshit."[/color]

With how intense Tiff was prying in his private love life, Danny found himself biting his tongue out of frustration, conflict, and anger. He didn’t like the feeling of being cornered and this is exactly why he would never tell his cousin about Marco, or Francis, or any crushes he’s had of the same sex. She didn’t know when to close her trap. [color=005d9e]“Lie or not, it’s none of your business.”[/color] His voice went down an octave, as he threatened,  [color=005d9e]“Get. Off. Of. Me.”[/color] 

They were doing so well up until now and this might have been an overreaction on his part, but what did she know? She didn’t know what he was going through. Tiffannie did what she pleased with hardly any repercussions and if her actions did have consequences? She had people [i]always[/i] protecting her. He held back his urge to manhandle his cousin out of his way and gave one of the darkest glares he’s ever given her, showing she hit a spot she probably never knew he had in him. 

Tiffannie's eyes widened as big as her mouth did, and she let go of Danny's arm out of pure shock. In the eighteen years she had known her cousin, he had never spoken or even looked at her in the way he was doing now. She could feel her face getting red with the million emotions going through her, and her blue eyes immediately filled up with hot, burning tears. Her lower lip trembled dangerously for a few short seconds before she ultimately burst into tears, turning on her heel and storming out of the room. Her quick footsteps echoed across the kitchen and up the stairs as she went, followed by the sound of the guest bedroom getting closed a little louder than usual. Meanwhile, the pint of ice cream stood abandoned upon the kitchen countertop, a small puddle of condensation forming underneath it.

Once his cousin was out of the room, Danny lifted his hands and ran them down his face, stretching it a bit, in exasperation. He wanted to scream. The Belmonte boy took his resentment for himself out on an innocent person. All Tiffannie wanted to do was root for him because he hadn’t gotten out in a couple of months. Instead of being honest that he was seizing this opportunity to rebuild a bridge with his [i]male[/i] ex, he got defensive. What the hell was he protecting anyways? His livelihood? His honor? Why couldn’t he just be honest with her, with himself, and everyone else? 

He was scared and that was pathetic. 

This might’ve been irrational of him but he worried if he did reveal his interest for the same sex his mother would die unhappy and his father would blame him for her death. Why couldn’t he be like Francis? Open and upfront about his sexuality, regardless of what others think. Or Marco? That boy had no shame and it was so admirable. 

Grumbling to himself, Danny turned back from the garage door and cleaned the kitchen counter, tossing his cousin’s ice cream away. He made a note to buy her more, as he wiped down the dirty surface.  [color=005d9e]“You’re a fucking idiot,”[/color] he scolded himself.  

One thing he did get lucky in was how no one was really around to hear any of that. If any of his sisters were around, or worse, his father, this would’ve been a bigger scene. Checking his wrist watch, he found the excitement he had once before, completely gone. Maybe this was stupid of him. The reasons he had to go to this thing tonight didn't matter anymore, not even giving closure to Marco was on his mind. Yet, he wasn’t one to change plans last minute so he forced himself to go to his car. 

Time to get this night done and over with. 

[color=005d9e]“A good day gone sour. [i]Fucking great[/i].”[/color] 
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